Connecticut River

The Connecticut River defines Middletown’s entire eastern boundary. This eight-mile section of the river offers Middletown residents a diverse range of passive and active recreational opportunities, as well as occasions to view wildlife and to learn about the local ecology. Only a small portion of the river’s edge, between the confluences of the Mattabesset River and Sumner Brook (the Central Business District area), has been heavily developed. The rest of the river has remained relatively free from development pressure. The Connecticut River has been the focus of numerous local, regional, and national conservation efforts. In 1991, the Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge which encompasses the entire Connecticut River watershed was created. This area has been given a high priority rank due to its special biological values. The Tidelands of the lower Connecticut River have also been designated one of the hemisphere’s “Last Great Places” by The Nature Conservancy (TNC).

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